WASHINGTON —
In a town accustomed to close elections, there is a race too close to call that no recount can help.
"With with the caveat that my tenure with the body is somewhat short...I have never seen this happen before," and no one else in the office has either said Nick Jacobs with the D.C. Board of Elections.
An Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, or ANC, is an unpaid, non-voting position in D.C. local government that helps residents with issues like speed bumps and trash pickup.
Any registered voter can run for the office with just 25 signatures from their neighbors required to get on the ballot.
"Or you can run as a write-in, which is what I think brings us to the situation today," Jacobs said.
No one made it on the ballot for an ANC district that covers American University in Northwest D.C. this November. So, the election came down to the write-in vote which ended in a tie - a one-to-one tie between two American University students who, presumably, voted for themselves.
"That does seem like the logical guess," said Jacobs.
The law says lots will determine the winner. Election officials are still working out whether it will be a coin flip or names in a hat.
"Many students come to D.C. and they realize, 'Well, if I register to vote, I won't have representation in Congress," said outgoing ANC, and AU grad, student Christian Damiana. He said while turnout in the mostly student populated ANC district is an issue, access could be better, too. A concern he voiced to the American University student newspaper The Eagle before the election.
"For example, petitions to get on the ballot are only typically available from June through August. And as you know, students are not on campus during that time," Damiana said.
Election officials say they're focused on increasing student participation at all D.C. universities.
They hope to have this election resolved by next week.